ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the major policies of the past two centuries that contribute to an understanding of contemporary Native American issues, with a particular emphasis on housing and economic policies. Before presenting the historical overview, it is important to understand that American Indians are not simply another demographic group within the United States. The act of treaty making itself affirmed the inherent sovereignty of tribes and the government-to-government relationship between Indian tribes and the United States. A policy of termination was chosen to reverse Collier's policies, to speed Indians toward assimilation, and to remove government responsibility for Indian affairs. The Indian population numbered fewer than 250,000 and was restricted to reservations and other areas. The Meriam report concluded that the government policies of allotment and forced patents were particularly harmful to the stability of tribal communities and that a major cause of Indian poverty was "the encroachment of white civilization".
